Cover removal system for use in controlled environment enclosures

ABSTRACT

An apparatus and method are presented for removing container covers within a controlled environment enclosure without using gloves. The apparatus comprises an articulated arm apparatus and a gripping apparatus and can further comprise a controller. The articulated arm apparatus can be configurable for holding and moving a container in three dimensions; and the gripping apparatus can be configured for gripping a container cover sealing the container. The method comprises moving the container using the articulated arm apparatus while holding a gripping area of the container cover substantially stationary using the gripping apparatus. The apparatus can further comprise a sensor configured for supplying information to the controller for determining the location of the container cover gripping area and an orientation of the container cover. The method can further comprise inspecting the container cover using the sensor. The container can be moved along a path and within a space determined by the controller.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application claims priority to U.S. patent application Ser. No.14/398,538; filed on Nov. 3, 2014, now U.S. Pat. No. 10,081,527; whichis a national stage entry of International Patent Application Serial No.PCT/US2013/039455; filed on May 3, 2013; which claims priority from U.S.Provisional Patent Application Ser. No. 61/642,430, filed May 3, 2012.This application is also a continuation of U.S. patent application Ser.No. 15/818,986, filed Nov. 24, 2017; which is a continuation-in-part ofU.S. patent application Ser. No. 15/729,655, filed Oct. 10, 2017, nowU.S. Pat. No. 10,723,497, which is a continuation-in-part of theaforementioned U.S. patent application Ser. No. 14/398,538; thedisclosures of all of which are incorporated by reference herein.

FIELD OF THE INVENTION

This document relates generally to controlled environment enclosures andin particular to a method and apparatus for removing covers from sealedcontainers in controlled environment enclosures.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

Controlled environment enclosures are known in the art and are used, forexample, for containment of hazardous materials or to provide controlledenvironments with limited numbers of particulates.

In the art, controlled environment enclosures are typically fitted withports for transfer of materials in and out of the enclosure and theports are fitted with gloves for manual manipulation of equipment, partsor materials inside the enclosure. Such gloves are subject tosignificant risk of puncture, the consequences of which can be severe.

In some examples known in the art the controlled environment enclosureis also used to limit exposure to viable particulates such a bacteriaand fungi. The controlled environment enclosures may be required foraseptic processing of cell cultures or for the manufacture ofpharmaceutical products, medical devices, food or food ingredients. Insuch applications the requirement is for the controlled environmentenclosure to be decontaminated. This can be done thermally using steamor chemically using chemical agents. Suitable chemical agents known inthe art include hydrogen peroxide, ozone, beta-propiolactone, aziridine,formaldehyde, chlorine dioxide, ethylene oxide, propylene oxide, andperacetic acid. In most cases the decontamination and sterilizationoperations have to be preceded by a cleaning process. Such cleaningprocesses have the function of removing major contamination by simplemechanical and chemical action.

In some prior art examples the controlled environment also containsautomated equipment. Such automated equipment can include machines formanipulation of parts or as containers, including test tubes, rollerbottles, cell culture dishes, bottles, vials, ampoules and syringes.Typical examples of such manipulations are inspection, filling andcapping.

Parts to be manipulated in controlled environment enclosures can bepackaged in a container such as a tub. The container can be closed witha cover consisting of a sheet of flexible material, which generally isheat sealed to the container. The container and contents aredecontaminated using a chemical agent, plasma or radiation.

The automated equipment located in the controlled environment istypically of such a size and complexity that it cannot be operated fullyautomatically without human intervention. Such human interventiontypically requires the use of gloves with the associated risk ofpuncture. A typical example of human intervention that involves the useof gloves is the removal of container covers.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the above background there remains a need for an apparatusand method for removal of container covers within controlledenvironments that does not require human intervention via the use ofgloves.

In a first aspect a method is presented for removing within a controlledenvironment enclosure a container cover from a sealed container, thesealed container sealed by the container cover, the method comprisingmoving the container while holding a gripping area of the containercover substantially stationary. The moving of the container comprisesholding the container with an articulated arm apparatus disposed withinthe controlled environment whilst removing the container cover by afirst manipulation of the articulated arm apparatus. The method furthercomprises a second manipulating of the articulated arm apparatus toposition along a trajectory the sealed container within a reach of agripping apparatus disposed within the controlled environment, andgripping the gripping area with the gripping apparatus.

The positioning of the sealed container comprises placing the grippingarea of the container cover between two gripping elements of thegripping apparatus, the first and second of the two gripping elementsrespectively comprising first and second mutually parallel and mutuallyengagable grip surfaces. The method further comprises rotating at leastone of the gripping elements. The positioning of the gripping area cancomprise placing the gripping area proximate and substantially facingthe first grip surface. The rotating of at least one of the grippingelements can comprise moving the second of the two gripping elements ina plane substantially parallel to the first grip surface.

The positioning of the container can further comprise straightening thegripping area if the gripping area is bent toward the first grip surfaceby contacting to the first grip surface to one of the gripping area anda part of the cover in contact with the gripping area. The moving of thethe second gripping element can comprise straightening the gripping areaif the gripping area is bent toward the second gripping element bycontacting the second grip surface to the other of the gripping area andthe part of the cover in contact with the gripping area.

The method can further comprise lowering the container or rotating thecontainer about an axis substantially in the plane of the cover. This isdone by a third manipulating of the articulated arm apparatus. Therotating or raising of the gripping area is to an extent that allows thegripping apparatus to remain clear of the container during the removingthe container cover.

The removing the container cover can be removing the container coversimultaneously along two edges of the container. The first manipulatingof the articulated arm apparatus can comprise moving the container withrespect to the gripping apparatus. Moving the container with respect tothe gripping apparatus can comprise moving the container substantiallydiagonally with respect to the gripping apparatus. The moving thecontainer with respect to the gripping apparatus can comprise moving thecontainer along a predetermined path within a predetermined space. Oneor both of the predetermined path and the predetermined space can bedetermined using a controller. The predetermined path can be a circularpath.

The trajectory of the container can be based on information obtainedfrom a sensor. The information can comprise one or both of positioninformation and orientation information about the gripping area.

The method can further comprise inspecting the container cover using asensor. The method can further comprise selecting an alternativegripping area of the container cover based on the inspecting; grippingthe alternative gripping area with the gripping apparatus; and removingthe container cover by moving the container.

The method can further comprise moving the gripping apparatus away froman operational area of the articulated arm apparatus after removing thecontainer cover.

In a further aspect there is provided an apparatus comprising acontrolled environment enclosure; and within the controlled environmentenclosure an articulated arm apparatus and a rotary gripping apparatus.The articulated arm apparatus can be configurable for holding and movinga container in three dimensions; and the rotary gripping apparatus canbe configured for gripping a gripping area of a container cover sealingthe container. The rotary gripping apparatus can comprise two grippingelements having facing mutually engagable surfaces, at least one of thetwo gripping elements being rotatable about a common axis with the otherof the two gripping elements to grip the gripping area of the containercover between the two facing mutually engagable surfaces. The thearticulated arm apparatus can comprise at least two arm segments, atleast one arm segment being configurable to hold the container.

The articulated arm apparatus and the rotary gripping apparatus can beseparated by a distance large enough for the gripping apparatus to notinterfere with the working of the articulated arm apparatus. Theapparatus can further comprise a controller for controlling at least thearticulated arm apparatus and the gripping apparatus. The moving thecontainer can be moving the container along a path that is determined bythe controller and the moving the container is contained within a spacedetermined by the controller.

The apparatus can further comprise a sensor configured for supplyinginformation to the controller for determining at least one of a locationof the container cover gripping area and an orientation of the containercover. The articulated arm apparatus can be at least one ofautomatically controlled and reprogrammable. The gripping apparatus canbe at least one of automatically controlled and reprogrammable.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

In the drawings, which are not necessarily drawn to scale, like numeralsmay describe similar components in different views. Like numerals havingdifferent letter suffixes may represent different instances of similarcomponents. The drawings illustrate generally, by way of example, butnot by way of limitation, various embodiments discussed in the presentdocument.

FIG. 1 shows a controlled environment enclosure containing anarticulated arm apparatus for handling of containers and an apparatusfor gripping of container covers.

FIG. 2 shows an example of a container.

FIG. 3 shows a detail view of a container showing an example of thecover extending outside the outline of the top surface of the container.

FIG. 4 shows a gripping apparatus with gripping jaws partially opened.

FIG. 5 shows a top view perspective of an articulated arm apparatus andgripping apparatus near an initial stage of removal of a cover from acontainer.

FIG. 6 shows a top view perspective of an articulated arm apparatus andgripping apparatus at a first intermediate stage of removal of acontainer cover from a container.

FIG. 7 shows a top view perspective of an articulated arm apparatus andgripping apparatus at a second intermediate stage of removal of acontainer cover from a container.

FIG. 8 shows a top view perspective of an articulated arm apparatus andgripping apparatus at near complete stage of removal of a containercover from a container

FIG. 9A is a flow diagram for a method to remove a cover of a containerin a controlled environment enclosure.

FIG. 9B is a more detailed flow diagram of part of the method of FIG.9A.

FIG. 9C is a more detailed flow diagram of part of the method of FIG.9A.

FIG. 10A is a flow diagram for a further method to remove a cover of acontainer in a controlled environment enclosure.

FIG. 10B is a more detailed flow diagram of part of the method of FIG.10A.

FIG. 10C is a more detailed flow diagram of part of the method of FIG.10A.

FIG. 11 is a more detailed flow diagram of part of FIG. 9A and FIG. 10A.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION

FIG. 1 shows an apparatus 100 comprising a controlled environmentenclosure 120, a gripping apparatus 113 and an articulated arm apparatus115, both inside the controlled environment enclosure 120 and arrangedfor positioning and relocation of a container 114 within the controlledenvironment enclosure 120 without requiring direct human interventionand the associated use of gloves. Container 114 can be, for example, atub. The term “tub” as used herein is used to describe any containersuitable for holding parts, trays of nested arrangements of parts, astack of trays with nested arrangements of parts, or combinationsthereof.

The apparatus 100 can further comprise of a sensor 160 for sensing thecontainer 114.

The controlled environment enclosure 120 can comprise windows 121, aninlet filter 130, an inlet valve 131, a blower 132, an outlet filter 133and an outlet valve 134. The characteristics of blower 132, inlet filter130, and outlet filter 133 are chosen to yield a controlled environmentinside controlled environment enclosure 120. The contents of thecontrolled environment enclosure 120 can be protected by airflow whilehaving one or more openings (not shown).

In another embodiment the controlled environment enclosure 120 can befully sealed and be operated at a positive or negative pressuredifferential relative to the surroundings. Those skilled in the art willunderstand that several other filter and blower arrangements can be usedto establish a controlled environment inside controlled environmentenclosure 120. A suitable controlled environment can be obtained, forexample without limitation, by means of any one or more of turbulentairflow, horizontal unidirectional airflow and vertical unidirectionalairflow.

The operation of the gripping apparatus 113 and the articulated armapparatus 115 is controlled by a means located outside of environmentenclosure 120. In some embodiments the means of controlling apparatus113, apparatus 115 and enclosure 120 require a local or remote operatorinput device such as joy stick control, push button control, emergencystop, touch screen human machine interface, keyboard, mouse, handhelddevice or the like. Typically one or more of such input devices areconnected to a controller 140. In FIG. 1, a laptop computer is shown asan example of controller 140. In other embodiments controller 140 can bea variety of other means such as operator interface panel, programmablelogic controller, programmable automation controller, a desktop computeror a remote I/O module with embedded logic functions. In someembodiments the controller 140 can consist of a plurality of theaforementioned controllers.

The controller 140 provides control instructions to apparatus 100 overcontrol line 150. Control line 140 is a schematic representation of allof the required mechanical linkages, electrical wiring, pneumatic,hydraulic and wireless connections to operate apparatus 100.

The container 114 can be manipulated inside the controlled environmentenclosure 120 by mechanical means, for example, an articulated armapparatus 115. Suitable robotic arm manipulation systems formechanically manipulating the container 114 include, but are not limitedto, 6-axis robotic arms, Selective Compliant Articulated Robot Arm(SCARA) systems, r-theta robots, and assemblies of linear actuators androtary actuators, or combinations thereof.

In one embodiment of the apparatus 100 the articulated arm apparatus 115can be the articulated arm apparatus described in U.S. ProvisionalPatent Application 61/596,698, which is incorporated herein byreference.

The controlled environment enclosure 120, in some examples, includes asensor 160 for sensing the container 114 and a container cover 116 forthe container 114. In the example shown in FIG. 1 the sensor is mountedto the top surface of the controlled environment enclosure 120. In otherembodiments it can be mounted at another suitable location to monitorthe interior of controlled environment enclosure 120. The sensor 160, inone example is an optical sensor. In other examples the sensor 160 is acamera system, a laser system or an ultrasonic sensing system. In yetother examples the sensor 160 is an assembly that consists of aplurality of sensing elements. The sensor 160 has a sensing cone (notshown) or multiple sensing cones than can cover a small, a large area orboth; depending on the characteristics of the sensor 160 used.

In other embodiments of this invention the controlled environmentchamber 120 contains articulated arm apparatus 115 plus at least onefurther articulated arm apparatus (not shown in the interest ofclarity). The additional at least one further articulated arm apparatuscan be used, for example, for activities that can follow removal of thecontainer cover 116 from the container 114. Apparatus 100 can be usedfor functions preceding the function of the filling system described inU.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/393,183, which is incorporatedherein by reference.

In yet another embodiment gripping apparatus 113 is added to a fillingsystem as described in U.S. Patent Application 61/033,682, with element30 of U.S. Patent Application 61/033,682 as the equivalent ofarticulated arm apparatus 115 of the present specification, chamber 20of U.S. Patent Application 61/033,682 as the equivalent of controlledenvironment enclosure 120 of the present specification, and opticalsensor 12 of U.S. Patent Application 61/033,682 as the equivalent ofsensor 160 of the present specification. U.S. Patent Application61/033,682 is hereby incorporated by reference.

The articulation of arm apparatus 115 can be remoted operated by theoperator. In another embodiment the articulated arm apparatus 115 can bean automatically controlled articulated arm. In yet another embodimentthe articulated arm apparatus can be a reprogrammable automaticallycontrolled articulated arm.

FIG. 2 shows a bottom view of an example of the container 114. Thecontainer 114 can be made of a metal, glass, plastic or a compositematerial, but typically the tub 114 is a single use thin walledcontainer. Thin walled single use containers are typically made by a lowcost process, such as thermoforming or injection molding. As shown inFIG. 2, the container 114 can have features such as tapered sidewallsthat assist in manufacturability, but are more difficult to hold than anobject with rigid parallel walls. All four walls forming the sides ofthe container 114 can have a step 201.

FIG. 3 shows a detail view of container 114. The kind of container 114typically employed in the pharmaceutical industry is characterized by atop lip 302 that provides a surface area for a sealed connection to thecontainer cover 116. The term “cover” is used here to describe anysurface material, including but not limited to a flexible sheet made ofplastic material, a polymeric membrane or an impermeable laminated foil.

The container cover 116 can extend outside the outline of the top lip302 of the tub 114 in at least one location, and typically extendsoutside the outline of the top lip 302 in a plurality of locations. Theat least one area of container cover 116 that extends outside theoutline of the top lip 302 provides a gripping area 301 that can be usedas access for clamping. Clamping on the gripping area 301 can becomplicated by the flexibility of the material of the container cover116. The gripping area 301 can be level, bent upwards, or bentdownwards.

FIG. 4 shows an example embodiment of the gripping apparatus 113. Anupper arm 406 is rotatably connected to a main shaft 403 by a radialseal 405. The main shaft 403 is rigidly connected to a lower arm 404 bya fully sealed joint. The main shaft 403 is rotatably connected to abase flange 401 by a radial seal 402. The base flange 401 is sealablyconnected to controlled environment enclosure 120. The tip of lower arm404 and the tip of upper arm 406 have mutually facing and mutuallyengagable grip surfaces 407 and 408 respectively such that the mutuallyfacing flat grip surfaces 407 and 408 are mutually engagable in theabsence of any material, such as container cover material, beingdisposed between the surfaces. The grip surface 407 can be an uppersurface of the tip of lower arm 404 and the grip surface 408 can be alower surface of the tip of the upper arm 406.

In one embodiment of the gripping apparatus 113 the lower arm 404 isstationary and upper arm 406 is rotatable about a cylindrical axis ofmain shaft 403. In another embodiment of the gripping apparatus 113 theupper arm 406 is stationary and lower arm 404 is rotatable about thecylindrical axis of main shaft 403. In yet a further embodiment bothupper arm 406 and lower arm 404 are rotatable about the cylindrical axisof main shaft 403.

The gripping apparatus 113 can be remoted operated by the operator. Inanother embodiment the gripping apparatus 113 can be automaticallycontrolled. In yet another embodiment the gripping apparatus 113 can bea reprogrammable automatically controlled gripping apparatus.

We now describe at the hand of FIG. 1, FIG. 2, FIG. 3, and FIG. 4, aswell as the flow diagrams in FIG. 9A, FIG. 9B, FIG. 9C, FIG. 10A, FIG.10B, FIG. 10C and FIG. 11, a method for using the apparatus 100 toremove the cover 116 of the container 114. The method comprises usingthe sensor 160 to detect an orientation of the gripping area 301, and tocommunicate with the controller 140 over control line 150. The methodfurther comprises planning the trajectory of the container 114 using thecontroller 140 so that gripping apparatus 113 can access the grippingarea 301.

In one example embodiment, shown in FIG. 9A and expanded on in FIG. 9Band FIG. 9C, the method comprises the sensor 160 sensing [510]information concerning the gripping area 301 and communicating [512] thesensed information to the controller 140 over control line 150. Thesensed information can be the position of the gripping area 301 or theorientation of gripping area 301 or both. The sensed information can beused as input information by the controller 140 for determining [514] atrajectory for the articulated arm apparatus 115 along which to positionthe sealed container 114 within a reach of the gripping apparatus 113.

The cover gripping sequence can be initiated by rotating [520] the upperarm 406 and the lower arm 404 of the gripping apparatus 113 with respectto each other by an angle that separates the mutually facing gripsurfaces 407 and 408 located on respectively lower arm 404 and upper arm406 by at least the width of the container 114. This can be done byrotating one or both of the arms 406 and 404.

The method further comprises manipulating [530] articulated armapparatus 115 to move the container 114 along the trajectory that placesthe gripping area 301 above the grip surface 407 of the lower arm 404.This has the result of moving [532] the container 114 towards the lowerarm 404 in a trajectory that results in a bottom surface of the top lip302 of container 114 nearing or contacting the grip surface 407 of thelower arm 404. At least during the last section of the approach, thecontainer 114 can be moved to cause the bottom surface of the top lip302 to substantially slide along the grip surface 407 of the lower arm404. During this section of the approach, the tip of the lower arm 404can be bending [534] the gripping area 301 upward in the case wheregripping area 301 happens to be orientated downward to below the top lip302.

The method further comprises rotating [540] upper arm 406 to grip thegripping area 301. This comprises moving [542] the tip of upper arm 406comprising the surface 408 over the container cover 116 during itstravel to the gripping area 301. As the upper arm 406 approaches thegripping area 301, it can slide over the container cover 116 above thetop surface of top lip 302. During this action, the tip of the upper arm406 can be bending [544] down to a substantially horizontal orientationany upward bent parts of cover 116, including specifically the grippingarea 301.

In another example embodiment of the method, shown in FIG. 10A andexpanded on in FIG. 10B and FIG. 10C, the sensor 160 also senses theorientation of the gripping area 301 and communicates the sensedorientation to the controller 140 over control line 150. The sensedorientation of the gripping area 301 can, as before, be used as inputinformation by controller 140 to determine a trajectory for thearticulated arm apparatus 115 along which to position the sealedcontainer 114 within a reach of the gripping apparatus 113.

The cover gripping sequence can, as above, be initiated with therotating [550] of the upper arm 406 and the lower arm 404 of thegripping apparatus 113 with respect to each other by an angle thatseparates the mutually facing grip surfaces 407 and 408 located onrespectively lower arm 404 and upper arm 406 by at least the width ofthe container 114.

The method further comprises manipulating [560] articulated armapparatus 115 to move the container 114 along the trajectory that placesthe gripping area 301 below the grip surface 408 of the upper arm 406.This has the result of moving [562] the container 114 towards the upperarm 406 in a trajectory that results in a top surface of the top lip 302of container 114, covered by cover 116, nearing or contacting the gripsurface 408 of the upper arm 406. At least during the last section ofthe approach, the container 114 can be moved to cause the top surface ofthe top lip 302, covered by cover 116, to substantially slide along thesurface 408 of the upper arm 406. During this section of the approach,the tip of the upper arm 406 can be bending [564] the gripping area 301downward in the case where gripping area 301 happens to be orientatedupward to above the top lip 302.

The method further comprises rotating [570] the lower arm 404 to gripthe gripping area 301. This comprises moving [572] the tip of lower arm404 comprising the grip surface 407 under the bottom surface of top lip302 during its travel to the gripping area 301. As the lower arm 404approaches the gripping area 301, it can slide along the bottom surfaceof top lip 302. During this action, the tip of the lower arm 404 can bebending [574] up to a substantially horizontal orientation any downwardbent parts of cover 116, including specifically the gripping area 301.

The gripping apparatus 113 works for a wide range of thickness of thecontainer cover 116 by clamping the gripping area 301 of container cover116 in between the mutually facing grip surfaces 407 and 408 located onrespectively the lower arm 404 and the upper arm 406.

The method provides for removing [580] the container cover 116 in thecontrolled environment enclosure 420. This is shown in expanded form inFIG. 11. Once the gripping apparatus 113 has gripped the gripping area301 and is holding the gripping area 301 substantially stationary, themethod can proceed further with manipulating [582] the articulated armapparatus 120 to either lower the container 114 or rotate the container114 about an axis substantially in the plane of the cover. Thismanipulating [582] is to a degree that positions and/or orients thecontainer 114 and cover 116 such that clearance is established for thetwo arms 404 and 406 of the gripping apparatus 113 to clear the cover116 and container 114 during the subsequent removal of the cover 116from the container 114.

Referring to the articulated arm apparatus 115 and the grippingapparatus 113 as shown in FIGS. 5-8, the container cover 116 can beremoved by moving the container 114 in a substantially diagonaltrajectory by manipulating [584] articulated arm apparatus 115 while thegripping apparatus 113 is holding the gripping area 301 substantiallystationary. The term “substantially diagonal is used in thisspecification to describe a direction of motion parallel to the diagonalof the container 114 between the two sides of the container 114 thatterminate jointly at the location of the gripping area 301. Thesubstantially diagonal trajectory minimizes a total length of adhesivethat is being opened at any given time. As shown in FIGS. 5-8, thesubstantially diagonal trajectory can be obtained by rotating thearticulated arm apparatus 115 in direction A. This particular choice ofmotion can keep all moving parts participating in removing the containercover 116 confined to a small space within the controlled environmentenclosure 420. The controller 140 can be configured for predeterminingthe small space before the motion is conducted by predetermining thepath for the container 114 to follow while being held by the articulatedarm apparatus 115. The predetermined path can be, but is not limited to,a circular path.

In another embodiment the container cover 116 can be removed by a moregeneral direction of motion of container 114 by manipulating [584]articulated arm apparatus 115 while the gripping apparatus 113 isholding the gripping area 301 substantially stationary. In thisembodiment the articulated arm apparatus 115 is not limited to beingrotated. This motion of the container 114 can be executed in a fashionand direction such as to remove the container cover 116 simultaneouslyalong two edges of the container 114, starting from the gripping area301.

FIGS. 5-8 provide an example of removal of the container cover 116 by apushing motion of articulated arm apparatus 115. In a furtherembodiment, the container cover 116 can be removed in a pulling motionby articulated arm apparatus 115.

The sensor 160 can be used for verifying the completeness of removal ofthe container cover 116. If, for some undetermined reason, the grippingapparatus 113 were to lose its grip on the container cover 116 duringthe removal of the container cover 116, the articulated arm apparatus115 can continue moving the container 114 with the partially removedcontainer cover 116. In the event of such partial removal of containercover 116; the previously described process of orienting substantiallyhorizontally any up-or downward bent areas of the cover 116, includingthe gripping area 301, can be repeated after the articulated armapparatus 115 repositions the gripping area 301 near the tip of thelower arm 404. If the gripping area 301 were to be no longer available,for example if the gripping area 301 were torn off, the process ofgripping the gripping area 301 can be repeated after redirecting thearticulated arm apparatus 115 to another suitable available grippingarea 301.

For the sake of clearly differentiating between the differentmanipulations that are undertaken by the articulated arm apparatus 120,we refer to the manipulating [584] of the articulated arm apparatus 120to remove the cover 116 as a “first manipulation”, and the manipulating[530] and [560] of the articulated arm apparatus 120 to position thecontainer 114 between the lower arm 402 and the upper arm 406 as a“second manipulating”, while we refer to the manipulating [582] of thearticulated arm apparatus 120 to lower the container 114 or to rotatethe container 114 about an axis substantially in the plane of the cover116 as a “third manipulating”. The gripping apparatus 113 is not limitedto the example shown in FIG. 4. In other embodiments the grippingapparatus 113 can comprise a pair of prongs with narrow gap in between,one of which slides over and the other slides under the gripping area,thereby clamping the cover by friction caused by rotation of bothprongs. In yet another embodiment the gripper can be of the typedescribed in German Patent DE4419475, hereby incorporated herein byreference. In yet other embodiments the gripper apparatus can comprisegripping devices that are commercially available, such as parallelgrippers, angular grippers or inflatable bellow grippers.

Additional Notes

The drawings and the associated descriptions are provided to illustrateembodiments of the invention and not to limit the scope of theinvention. Reference in the specification to “one embodiment” or “anembodiment” is intended to indicate that a particular feature,structure, or characteristic described in connection with the embodimentis included in at least an embodiment of the invention. The appearancesof the phrase “in one embodiment” or “an embodiment” in various placesin the specification are not necessarily all referring to the sameembodiment.

As used in this disclosure, except where the context requires otherwise,the term “comprise” and variations of the term, such as “comprising,”“comprises” and “comprised” are not intended to exclude other additives,components, integers or steps.

In the foregoing specification, the invention has been described withreference to specific embodiments thereof. It will, however, be evidentthat various modifications and changes may be made thereto withoutdeparting from the broader spirit and scope of the invention. Thespecification and drawing are, accordingly, to be regarded in anillustrative rather than a restrictive sense. It should be appreciatedthat the present invention should not be construed as limited by suchembodiments.

From the foregoing description it will be apparent that the presentinvention has a number of advantages, some of which have been describedherein, and others of which are inherent in the embodiments of theinvention described or claimed herein. Also, it will be understood thatmodifications can be made to the device, apparatus and method describedherein without departing from the teachings of subject matter describedherein. As such, the invention is not to be limited to the describedembodiments except as required by the appended claims.

PARTS LIST

-   100 apparatus-   113 gripping apparatus-   114 container-   115 articulated arm apparatus-   116 container cover-   120 controlled environment enclosure-   140 controller-   150 control line-   160 sensor-   121 window-   130 inlet filter-   131 inlet valve-   132 blower-   133 outlet filter-   134 outlet valve-   201 step-   301 gripping area-   302 top lip-   401 base flange-   402 radial seal-   403 main shaft-   404 lower arm-   405 radial seal-   406 upper arm-   407 grip surface-   408 grip surface-   [510] sensing the orientation of the gripping area-   [512] communicating the sensed orientation to-   [514] determining a trajectory-   [520] rotating the upper arm and the lower arm with respect to each    other-   [530] manipulating the articulated arm apparatus-   [532] moving the container toward the lower arm-   [534] bending up the gripping area-   [540] rotating the upper arm to grip the gripping area-   [542] moving the tip of the upper arm over the container cover-   [544] bending down bent parts of the cover including the gripping    area-   [550] rotating the upper arm-   [560] manipulating the articulated arm apparatus-   [562] moving the container toward the upper arm-   [564] bending down the gripping area-   [570] rotating the lower arm to grip the gripping area-   [572] moving the tip of lower arm under the bottom surface of the    container top lip-   [574] bending up bent parts of the cover including the gripping area-   [580] removing the container cover-   [582] manipulating the articulated arm apparatus to establish    clearance for arms-   [584] moving the container in a substantially diagonal trajectory

What is claimed is:
 1. An apparatus comprising: a controlled environmentenclosure; an articulated arm apparatus disposed within within thecontrolled environment enclosure; and a rotary gripping apparatusdisposed within the controlled environment enclosure wherein each of thearticulated arm apparatus and rotary gripping apparatus are moveablewith regard to the other of the articulated arm apparatus and rotarygripping apparatus.
 2. The apparatus of claim 1, wherein: thearticulated arm apparatus is configurable for holding and moving acontainer in three dimensions; the rotary gripping apparatus isconfigured for gripping a gripping area of a container cover sealing thecontainer.
 3. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein: the rotary grippingapparatus comprises two gripping elements having facing mutuallyengagable surfaces, at least one of the two gripping elements beingrotatable about a common axis with the other of the two grippingelements to grip the gripping area of the container cover between thetwo facing mutually engagable surfaces; and the articulated armapparatus comprises at least two arm segments, at least one arm segmentbeing configurable to hold the container.
 4. The apparatus of claim 2,wherein the articulated arm apparatus and the rotary gripping apparatuscan be separated by a distance large enough for the gripping apparatusto not interfere with the working of the articulated arm apparatus. 5.The apparatus of claim 2, further comprising a controller forcontrolling at least the articulated arm apparatus and the grippingapparatus.
 6. The apparatus of claim 5, wherein the moving the containeris moving the container along a path that is determined by thecontroller and the moving the container is contained within a spacedetermined by the controller.
 7. The apparatus of claim 5 furthercomprising a sensor configured for supplying information to thecontroller for determining at least one of a location of the containercover gripping area and an orientation of the container cover.
 8. Theapparatus of claim 2, wherein the articulated arm apparatus is at leastone of automatically controlled and reprogrammable.
 9. The apparatus ofclaim 2, wherein the gripping apparatus is at least one of automaticallycontrolled and reprogrammable.
 10. The apparatus of claim 2, wherein thecontrolled environment enclosure is configured for maintaining with aninterior of the enclosure an air pressure different from an air pressureexterior to the enclosure.
 11. An apparatus for processing an itemdisposed within a tub, the tub having a cover, the apparatus comprising:a controlled environment enclosure; an articulated arm apparatusdisposed within within the controlled environment enclosure; thearticulated arm apparatus configured to manipulate the tub; and a rotarygripping apparatus disposed within the controlled environment enclosure,the rotary gripping apparatus configured to manipulate the cover;wherein manipulation of the tub is separate from manipulation of thecover.
 12. The apparatus of claim 11, wherein: the articulated armapparatus is configurable for holding and moving a container in threedimensions; the rotary gripping apparatus is configured for gripping agripping area of a container cover sealing the container.
 13. Theapparatus of claim 12, wherein: the rotary gripping apparatus comprisestwo gripping elements having facing mutually engagable surfaces, atleast one of the two gripping elements being rotatable about a commonaxis with the other of the two gripping elements to grip the grippingarea of the container cover between the two facing mutually engagablesurfaces; and the articulated arm apparatus comprises at least two armsegments, at least one arm segment being configurable to hold thecontainer.
 14. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the articulated armapparatus and the rotary gripping apparatus can be separated by adistance large enough for the gripping apparatus to not interfere withthe working of the articulated arm apparatus.
 15. The apparatus of claim12, further comprising a controller for controlling at least thearticulated arm apparatus and the gripping apparatus.
 16. The apparatusof claim 15, wherein the moving the container is moving the containeralong a path that is determined by the controller and the moving thecontainer is contained within a space determined by the controller. 17.The apparatus of claim 15 further comprising a sensor configured forsupplying information to the controller for determining at least one ofa location of the container cover gripping area and an orientation ofthe container cover.
 18. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein thearticulated arm apparatus is at least one of automatically controlledand reprogrammable.
 19. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the grippingapparatus is at least one of automatically controlled andreprogrammable.
 20. The apparatus of claim 12, wherein the controlledenvironment enclosure is configured for maintaining with an interior ofthe enclosure an air pressure different from an air pressure exterior tothe enclosure.